Things to do after installing Python 3.4

Make sure that you add your Python directory AND the Scripts directory to the path.

I was trying to install BeautifulSoup4, and had problems using pip and easy_install. I had put in the Python directory into the path but didn't put the Scripts sub-directory.

Anyway, once I included the Scripts folder, pip (and easy_install for that matter) was accessible, and I was able to install BeautifulSoup4

After a long time...

Hello Blog... It's been more than a year since I last blogged. How have you been doing?

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since my last type. I am now, very soon, going to be a father. I am no longer in the land of my birth. I have travelled nearly half-way across the world and now residing in the tranquil land of milwaukee, wisconsin, USA. Oh what roads life throws in your walk-way... It was just about a month ago we were at a pilgrimage in the holy city of meccah. That was a wonderful experience which I will treasure for the rest of my life. Perhaps I will dedicate a different blog to it.


I have so many things to write about. About the friendly people, about roads, about the driving culture. So many things, which when I experience, I visualize blogging and sharing. The fast speeds of the internet are also making the habit come back.

I hope that I will be able to continue this... more frequently.

Online Spreadsheets

Reminds me of the lectures I did on DWA, where I gave a view of the web in the future. The need for us not to keep data in our local drives. The liberation from Utility Software. Why would you want to buy Office software when you can do similar things online for free, AND you dont have to worry (BIG assumption) of losing data. Gone will be the days where you will have to install applications in your machine. With the increase in bandwidth, the servers can handle all your processing. All you have to do is enter data.

Have we come full circle?

There was a time when people used the server to do all there work via a terminal. Then there was the revolution of the PC. Now we are going back to the days of terminals and servers.

So what will your "workstations" have? The only thing that you need is a web browser. No need of any software. No need of an OS. Just boot your machine into the browser.

So what is the use of all the workstations' processing? Well we can donate it for "distributed processing" tasks. We will need to develop algorithms where problems can be broken into packets of independent work, and then put together to complete the BIG problem.

Since "workstations" will only become a gateway for entering data, there will be more emphasis on developing it to become more efficient in this task. The input output devices will improve. Voice recognition will be something common. Other forms of input, emotion recognition, thought recognition? Voice output, graphical multimedia "forms" to deliver output in a more efficient manner. This will open up avenues for more people to use computers. Think of the illiterate, the differently abled people.

There will be great strides made in multi-media, for sophisticated interaction between the hardware and liveware. There will be a demand for UI Engineers, and Multimedia specialists. Funny isnt it, the more sophisticated the computer becomes, the more "human" related disciplines get involved in it's progress. This, for an area of science which was known to be dissociated with the human or the humane aspect.

When will we be able to just see the screen in our "minds", i.e. projected into our eyes, without it being projected into a source for our eyes to see. The visual output will connect directly with the nerves connecting the part of the brain which handles visual processing from signals received from the retina.

Enough for now... Later...

Cygwin

I've worked on it before, but somehow never felt the need for it (cygwin) until now. Imagine a situation where you want to transfer files from your windows notebook to another comp on the LAN. But the problems is that the windows Network File System doesn't work! Probably something wrong with the network settings; too many subnets here.

Anywayz, I have to find another way of transferring the files. FTP I thought. Also, I remembered a fileupload program which I coded in PHP sometime ago which I could use. I could not locate that in my NB. I was quite proud of that code segment, since it was a remote file manager kinda thingy...

Anywayz... let me get back on track...

I went in search of FTP servers and ended up with Baracuda, which also gives a HTTP file uploading mechanism. Pretty nifty util. But the problem with HTTP uploading is multiple uploads! I cant transfer a directory unless I compress the darn thing! That takes too long...

I remembered the SSH program which I used to transfer files to websites sometime ago, and thought of finding a SSH server. This led me to openssh.

Now, openssh does not have a version for windows. But it DOES have a version for Cygwin. Which leads me to Cygwin.

Cygwin is an UNIX environment in Windows. It says in the website that it has a DLL which basically parses the commands in the cygwin window and I guess converts it into a Windows understandable form.

Anyway, so I downloaded Cygwin and installed SSH, and still couldn't connect, till I realised that the server has windows firewall enabled. It was recently reinstalled and was also fitted in with SP2. Which reminds me, I have to upgrade my NB to SP2. Nah... too risky...

Anyway, I disabled the firewall (too lazy to enable the sockets) and voila, its working. Now my question is, was the firewall the original reason that Windows NFS didn't work? NM! At least I experimented on cygwin.

Reminds me of all the OS tools that were discussed during FOSSED. Reminded me of WINE, and some other stuff. Think I might join one of those groups and do a bit of coding! I miss coding... Well thats another blog altogether!

Which Discworld character are you?

You scored as Carrot Ironfounderson. You are Captain Carrot Ironfounderson of the City Watch in the greatest city on the Disc â?? Ankh-Morprok! A truly good natured, honest guy, who knows everyone, and is liked by all. Technically a dwarf, but only by adoption. Youâ??d rather not be reminded that you are the true heir to the throne, but that does explain why people naturally follow your ordersâ?¦ Carrot Ironfounderson 100% Lord Havelock Vetinari 88% Greebo 75% The Librarian 69% Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 63% Cohen The Barbarian 63% Rincewind 56% Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 50% Commander Samuel Vimes 38% Death 31% Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com

Alone in a crowd

It is wonderful being isolated among many. I have had one of the most productive days in terms of reading. Managed to read a considerable amount of pages of a book on Creative Thinking, online, which I would not have been able to do if I was in APIIT. Sometimes, friends can be a distraction. I am enjoying this virtual isolation which I am in!

Thoughts LZW

Friday. So how was the holiday? Lot of driving. Lot of sleeping. Loads of cricket. Nothing productive. Define productive. Dreams of the future. Dreams of the new job.

Expectations. Anticipation. Apprehension. Friendly? Helpful? Back stabbers? No prejudice. No first impressions. Take it as it comes. Leave office early? Easy hours? Continue hosting? Lecturing? Travel abroad? Career? Certifications.

Become indispensable. Dependent on me. Good for me. Not good for company. Happened before. Guess where? Bottom line, do good. Be good.

Risk management. Things go wrong. What then? Plan B? Plan C? No Plan. Take it as it comes. Goes wrong? start over. Not coyote in road runner. Doesnt try again. Remember the donkey and the well.

Wedding. Life of its own. Not ours. Families'. Note the apostrophe on the plural. On track. Gantt will be proud. Clothes. Cards. Venue. Food! Oh yeah, food!

Sweet satellite? To or not to. Dreams of travel. Only dreams. Perhaps later. Plenty of time. Nothings set in stone. Can change.

Net worth. Minus territory. Fiscal management. Mistakes. Experiments, I like to call! Car. No, Vehicle. Cant afford.

Love? Comfort. Freedom. Brilliant company. Never the same. Each day something new. Something wonderful. The inner beauty. Oft interred inside. Unseen. Unheard. Unsensed by the senses. Springs forth feelings unmentionable. Incomprehensible. Can only be felt. Feelings! Serotonin? Controllable? Chemistry? Neurons triggered? Electricity? Energy? Can it be programmed? AI! The movie. The plot. Ah! Light bulb!

Friends? Colleagues? Friends WERE colleagues. Now what? What does monday hold?